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Faith in Nature

Faith in Nature have had a faith in nature all their lives, and they have been putting that faith into their products for forty years now. When Faith in Nature started, nobody was talking about ‘green’ cosmetics. It wasn’t fashionable, and it wasn’t mainstream. But Faith in Nature are delighted that times are changing, and that, slowly, the world is coming round to this way of thinking.

And how can it not? All it takes is a glance outside to see the wonder that is our planet, and a moment watching the news to realise how vital it is that we protect it.

This journey of realisation began for Rivka Rose whilst growing up in New York City, a city where the changing of the seasons cannot go unnoticed, and where the new life that comes with each passing season is as vibrant as the city itself. It was, quite simply, awe inspiring.

But whether in New York City, or Edinburgh where Faith in Nature was born, or in any corner of our wonderful world, the truth still holds that by working with nature, rather than against it, we can treat ourselves, sustainably and ecologically.

And so that’s why Faith in Nature keep doing what they do. Because there’s always more to learn, and because it’s not just Faith in Nature who believe in it. It’s you too. And, together, we can keep pushing, and keep striving, for a better way of living. A way in which we all show our faith in nature, and a way in which that faith will forever be repaid.

And we believe it’s happening. Slowly, but surely. It really is. Here’s to the next forty years.

Faith in Nature appreciate many of their customers want to know more about the ingredients in the products they use. In this section, Faith in Nature have covered some of the topics they are frequently asked questions on:

Allergens

Allergens are substances which may cause allergic reactions in some people. Almost any substance in the environment, for example pollen, can contain an allergen and many natural plant materials including essential oils and extracts commonly contain allergens in minute trace amounts.

It is a legal requirement for Faith in Nature (and quite rightly so) to declare all allergens contained naturally in the plant essential oils and fragrances along with their chemical name.

Faith in Nature's ingredient lists identify these, along with an explanation that they are 'from essential oils', ie; Geraniol. Customers can be reassured that these are not synthetic chemicals which are deliberately added to their formulations.

In general terms, experience suggests that allergy sufferers prefer the use of natural cosmetics and beauty care products to those containing synthetic chemicals.

Aroma & Colour Variations

Some Faith in Nature products may vary slightly in colour, appearance and aroma from batch to batch. This is as a result of the plant based material they utilise in their formulations being harvested from different areas and at varying altitudes. Other factors such as the time the plant was picked and the amount of rainfall it received can also have an influence, and these variations are your guarantee that the materials Faith in Nature use are truly natural.

Please be assured these variations do not in any way affect either the quality or performance of your product.

Colours

Faith in Nature only use natural plant derived colours. According to a recently published report by Lucas and Hallagan, which investigates the connection between colour and allergies, there is a very limited potential for natural colours to cause allergic reactions.

Cruelty Free Products

Faith in Nature have never tested any of their products on animals, nor will they. That's why they are long time supporters and members of the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection), and all Faith in Nature products carry their Leaping Bunny logo, an internationally recognised scheme that enables consumers to easily identify and purchase cruelty free products.

All Faith in Nature natural beauty products are approved to the Cruelty Free International Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) and their household cleaning range is approved to the Humane Household Products Standard (HHPS).

So not only do Faith in Nature products work beautifully and naturally, this is achieved without having to inflict cruelty on any part of the animal kingdom.

All products have a cut off date of 1988, with the exception of Faith in Nature Household Cleaning range which has a cut off date of 2003.

1,4-Dioxane

Faith in Nature have received questions on the subject of 1,4-dioxane, a contaminant that may occur in trace amounts in certain cosmetics. The following information has been compiled from responses to those questions, from the published scientific literature, and other public sources.

What is 1,4-dioxane? The compound 1,4-dioxane is a contaminant that may be present in extremely small amounts in some cosmetics. It is formed as a by-product during the manufacture of certain cosmetic ingredients. However, 1,4-dioxane itself is not used as a cosmetic ingredient.

Is 1,4-dioxane in cosmetic products harmful? The levels at which a chemical compound would be considered harmful in a cosmetic depends on the conditions of use (FD and C Act, section 601(a)). The 1,4-dioxane levels Faith in Nature have seen in their monitoring of cosmetics do not present a hazard to customers.

Fair Trade

Faith in Nature recognise the importance of avoiding the use of ingredients and products that have been obtained from developing countries on unfair trading terms, or those involving exploitation. Faith in Nature are certified with the top grade for SEDEX. Sedex is an organisation which has an aim to stamp out exploitation. Faith in Nature have, therefore, set themselves a target of progressively seeking to use Fair Trade type ingredients when buying from Third World countries, and when that is not possible, Faith in Nature will do their best to ensure that the source is non-exploitative, ie; a co-operative or similar.

Faith in Nature have identified these ingredients on their labels as ethically traded . As an example, the ethically traded Shea butter that Faith in Nature use, provides support for Ghanaian women, who hand craft the shea butter, and it provides support for other projects such as protecting the biodiversity rich areas of West Africa.

Fragrances

Faith in Nature only uses natural fragrances obtained from pure natural essential oils, designated by the plant name in the INCI ingredient list or as ‘Parfum’.

Parabens

Parabens are a very widely used group of preservatives. Faith in Nature do NOT use Parabens at all and only use preservatives which are considered suitable for organic certified products. None of the raw materials Faith in Nature purchase have any preservative whatsoever. Customers can therefore be assured of a safe, mild product.

Phthalates

Phthalates are a controversial group of chemical compounds that could influence products in two ways. Firstly, they are used to turn polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from a hard plastic into a flexible plastic, such as in a shampoo bottle, and secondly, they can be utilised in deodorants, body lotions and some other personal care products.

Some health advocates argue that the use of these chemicals can affect women of child bearing age leading to birth defects, whilst others point out that there is little evidence that phthalates can cause harm in humans.

Whilst there is no categorical evidence either way, on the basis that there is a degree of public concern, Faith in Nature have made the decision that phthalates will not be used in any of their products, and they will make every attempt to ensure they are not utilised in any of their packaging materials or containers.

Preservatives

For many years Faith in Nature has been producing natural toiletries with as little allergic reaction and as minimal environmental impact as possible. Part of this process is to limit the amount of preservatives in products to a level that is sufficient to preserve the product, protect you, customers, and give a shelf life to the products Faith in Nature supply. Faith in Nature only use environmentally friendly preservatives that comply with the ecological criteria for the award of European Community Ecological labels.

Faith in Nature's ideal solution would be to use natural ingredients which are part of the product blend. However, over many years experience, Faith in Nature have found the most suitable preservatives to be ones which conform to organic standards of production, such as specified by the Organic Certification bodies. These are not necessarily natural ingredients, but have been proven safe and suitable for use in products of the highest natural standards.

The ingredient Sodium Benzoate is the salt of benzoic acid. In Faith in Nature formulations it converts to benzoic acid which is an ingredient found in nature. Potassium Sorbate is the salt of sorbic acid and similarly converts to sorbic acid, also found in nature.

These ingredients, though synthetic, are classed as nature identical as they are found in nature in the same way that vitamin C can be synthetically produced.

Product Bases (Surfactants, SLS & SLES)

All Faith in Nature products are blended from a mix of essential oils, herbal extracts and other wonderful and special ingredients. Some of their products (shampoo, shower gel/foam bath and hand wash) contain a base called Ammonium Laureth sulphate (ALES). Faith in Nature do not use SLS, nor SLES/ ALES is considered to be a safe and effective cleansing agent and is rapidly biodegradable. Virtually 100% of this base is immediately removed from the skin or hair by the simple act of rinsing with water. Whilst ALES can be derived from animal fats or from petrochemicals, all Faith in Nature products containing this base only contain ALES that has been derived from plant/vegetable oil.

A prime advantage of our ALES is that it has a large sized molecule. This reduces its ability to irritation when blended in Faith in Nature bases, compared to other bases; the small SLS molecule and the more irritant SLES.

SEDEX

SEDEX, the Supplier Ethical Data Exchange, is a not for profit membership organisation for businesses committed to continuous improvement of the ethical and responsible practices in their supply chains.

SEDEX was founded in 2004 and is based in London, United Kingdom with a full time resource in Shanghai, China. As a membership organisation, all members have input into the development of SEDEX products and services and can participate in SEDEX working groups that facilitate the sharing of best practise. SEDEX is committed to working with other likeminded organisations to drive convergence worldwide in the approach to, and management of, ethical and responsible business practices.

Vegetarian & Vegan

Faith in Nature use no animal ingredients whatsoever in any of their products, so they are all suitable for vegetarians. Vegans further require that their products should have no animal involvement at all. With the exception of Propolis, a product manufactured by bees and which Faith in Nature include in their Neem and Propolis hair care products, every Faith in Nature product is Vegan and has been registered with the Vegan Society, entitling them to use their trade mark on Faith in Nature products.